Puzzle.



No. 635,329. Patented Oct. 24, I899.

- A. E. usnv.

PUZZLE.

(Applicgtinn filed. Dec. 14, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES I l INVENTOI? dwi aw I 3%. X By Arm/7mm:

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NITED STATES ALBERT ELLSVORT-H LIBBY, OF LIMERICK, MAINE.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 635,329, dated October 24, 18.99.

Application filed December 14, 1898. Serial No. 699,209. lNo model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT ELLsWoRTH LIBBY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Limerick, in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to puzzle and game devices; and the object thereof is to provide a puzzle which is simple in construction, but the solution of which is difficult, said solution being capable of accomplishment, however, by the exercise of care and skill in the manipulation of the device.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification,of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which-- Figure l is a plan view of my improved puzzle, and Fig. 2 a central longitudinal vertical section on the line 2 2.

In the drawings forming part of this specification the separate parts of my improvement are designated by the same numerals of referencein each of the views, and in the practice of my invention I provide a puzzle box or case preferably composed of parallel sides 5 and parallel ends 6, and said box or case is provided with a bottom 7 and a transparent top or cover 8. The puzzle box or case is also provided with a longitudinal partition 9, by means of which said box or case is divided into an upper compartment 10 and a lower compartment 11, the upper compartment 10 being preferably deeper than the lower compartment 11.

The partition 9 is composed of flexible materia1such as rubber, oiled cloth, or other suitable texile material and said partition is provided with a plurality of circular openings which are designated, beginning at the left, by the reference-numerals 12, 13, l4, 15, 16, and 17, and said holes or openings bein g preferably six in number. These holes or openings, as shown, are in line, but they may be arranged in any desired manner. The flexibility of the partition 9 is a vital feature of the puzzle construction, as it causes added diffioulty to the manipulation of the capsules. Each of said holes or openings is provided with a colored border, as shown at 18, the border of number 12 being blue, the border of numbers 13 and 16 yellow, the border of numbers 14 and 17 being red, and the border of number 15 green. holes or openings 16 and 17 are of the same size and are larger than the remaining holes or openings, and the partition 9 is also provided at one corner with another supplemental hole or opening 19, which is of the same size as the holes or openings 16 and 17. I also provide a plurality of oblong capsules 20, all of which are provided with semicircular ends, and these capsules are colored to correspond with the borders of the holes or openings 12 to 17. Each of said capsules is also provided with a ball or spherical body 21, composed of lead or other suitable material, and said capsules in practice are placed in the upper compartment 10 of the puzzle box or case.

By manipulating the puzzle box or case the capsules 20 may be caused to move around over the partition 9, the movement of said capsules being controlled, as will be understood, by the balls or bodies 21, which are free to move therein, and the puzzle box or case may be manipulated in such manner as to cause said capsules to stand in the holes or openings 12 to 17, as shown in Fig. 2. The smaller capsules may be passed through the larger holes or openings, and the solution of the puzzle consists in manipulating the box or case so as to pass the smaller capsules through the larger openings 16 and 17 into the bottom compartment 11, each of said capsules being passed through the hole or opening the color of which corresponds therewith, and also so as to place each of the larger capsules in an upright position in one of the small holes the color of which corresponds therewith.

It is evident that as the partition 9 is flexible the difficulty of the above-described operation is greatly enhanced, as the capsules al-' ready seated in the various holes or openings will tend to be unseated as the manipulation of the box continues and extreme delicacy of operation must be resorted to.

After the smaller capsules have been passed through into the bottom compartment, as above described, they may be passed back into the upper compartment through the sup- It'will also be observed that the plemental opening 19 in the corner of the partition 9 by inverting the box or case and manipulating the same so as to pass said small capsules into the corner in which said supplemental opening 19 is formed.

The capsules 20 may be composed of any desired material, and for this purpose either paper, celluloid, glass, or other suitable substance maybe employed.

My improved puzzle is simple in construction and operation and Well adapted to accomplish the purpose for which it is intended.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A puzzle, comprising a box or casing provided with a transparent top and flexible longitudinal partition, a plurality of varioussized holes or openings arranged in a series or group in said partition and provided with vari-colored borders, an equal number of capsules colored similarly to the borders of said holes and of such size that the smaller capsules may pass through the larger holes having borders colored similarly thereto, the larger capsules being adapted to stand in the smaller holes having borders colored similarly thereto, and a supplemental hole or opening in said partition in one corner thereof through which the smaller capsules may pass, each of said capsules being provided with a ball or Weight, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a puzzle of the class described, a box or casing provided with a flexible partition having a plurality of openings, and a plurality of movable bodies adapted to operate in connection with said flexible partition, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing Witnesses, this 10th day of December, 1898.

ALBERT ELLSWOR'III LIBBY.

\Vitnesses:

LoUIs HENRY VEILLEUX, JAY LEE ALEXANDER. 

